El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 54, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 29, 1982 Page: 3 of 37
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Rice Farming In Trouble
El Campo Leader News, El Campo, TX, Wed , Sept 29,1982 Page 3-A
Many Texas rice
farmers have been
operating “in the red” for
the past several years
and the “day of
reckoning’’ is at hand.
“The number of rice
growing units in Texas
may drop by one-third
next year because many
farmers are in serious
financial trouble,” said
Dr. Bill Black, economist
in marketing and policy
with the Texas
Agricultural Extension
Service, Texas A&M
University System.
“Because of high costs
and low prices, the
number ot nee growing
units nas dropped the
past few years, and that
erosion in numbers
should continue,” said
the economist.
“This means further
concentration in the
Texas rice industry,”
said Black. “In other
words, about the same
amount of rice will be
produced on fewer far-
ms ”
Rice growers in Texas
as well as in the other
producing states are
finding themselves in
another financial crunch
this year due to a weak
rice market that is ex-
pected to continue so
through the remainder of
this year.
Black attributed this
year’s weak prices to
three factors: good rice
crops in importing and
competing countries for
the past three years, an
abundance of food grains
throughout the world at
relatively low prices and
the high value of the U.S.
dollar in world markets
which hinders foreign
trade.
Because most rice
farmers participated in
this year’s government
program which called for
a 15 percent reduction in
crop average, Texas’ rice
production is estimated
at 21.5 million hun-
dredweight (cwt )
compared to 27.2 million
cwt. last year. This
year’s average is down
121,000 acres from 1981.
“Rice yields and
quality are generally
good this year — it’s the
price that continues to
plague farmers,” said
Black. “Cash prices will
likely average about $9.25
per cwt through the rest
of this year. This means
that farmers par-
ticipating in the acreage
reduction program will
get a deficiency payment
of about $1.60 per cwt.
based on a $10.85 per cwt.
target price.”
Fruit Course Offered Oct. 4
Anyone interested in
trying his hand at com-
mercial fruit production
needs good insight into
exactly what is involved.
The Texas Agricultural
Extension Service, Texas
A&M University System,
can provide just that.
A special New Fruit
Growers Shortcourse is
set for Oct. 4 at the Rud-
der Center on the Texas
A&M campus. This will
be a three-hour session
starting at 6 p.m. that
outlines the basics of
fruit production in Texas.
The 30th Annual Texas
Fruit Growers Con-
ference will follow Oct.
5-6.
Registration informa-
tion on both the New
Fruit Growers Short-
course and the Texas
Fruit Growers Con-
ference is available from
the County Extension of-
fice. A $25 registration
fee covers both pro-
grams, proceedings and
membership in the Texas
Fruit Growers Associa-
tion
I \ I'h.rt.. h\ ( vnthitf Mil lei
Open House
Local Man On Critical List
An 18-year-old Wharton man
was listed in critical condition at
Hermann Hospital Tuesday
following a motorcycle accident
which occurred Sunday on Old
Caney Road in Wharton.
According to Lowell Howard of
the Texas Department of Public
Safety, James Otis Irwin was
traveling south on Old Caney
Road at an “unsafe speed” when
he lost control on a curve and ran
off the road on the left side into a
ditch
Irwin was reportedly thrown
from the motorcycle and sustain-
ed serious head injuries. He was
transported to the Gulf Coast
Medical Center and later
transferred to Hermann Hospital
in Houston
In another accident, George
Cunda of El Campo was treated
and released from El Campo
Memorial Hospital following a
one-car accident which occurred
on Ell wood Street, 1.2 miles north
of Business 59.
According to DPS reports, Cun-
da was traveling north on EUwood
Street when a tire burst causing
him to run off the right side of the
road. Cunda reportedly overcor-
rected and ran off the road on the
left side into a ditch. His vehicle
overturned and landed on its
wheels.
Behind The Badge
David Ritchie (left), a kindergarten, student at Southside Elementary
school, looks on as his parents, (left to right) Thomas Ritchie and Denise
Janak, get acquainted with Margie Ball, a high school aide in David’s
class, during the school’s open house Monday night. Willis Vickery, prin-
cipal of the Southside School, said that the turnout for the open house was
very good.
Nesbitt Chose Police Work Early
Apartment Fire Calls
El Campo Volunteers
The El Campo Volunteer Fire
Department responded to three
fires over the weekend, including
a kitchen fire located at the
Greenbriar Apartments Friday
evening
Firefighters were called to a
fire Friday evening located at
Kelley Bode’s residence at Green-
briar, 2001 Ave F According to
fire department spokesman Her-
man Novak, the call was received
at 7:51 p.m.
The Bodes were allegedly cook-
ing french fries when they went
outside to barbecue. The grease
from the french fries reportedly
ignited and burned the exhaust
fan over the oven. Damages to the
kitchen were minor.
Firemen also responded to a
grass fire Saturday located at
South Meadow Lane near the
Swedish Cemetery Three fire
trucks and 20 men responded.
A Sunday grass fire on Lyner
Street was also reported to
firemen Booker Thompson of El
Campo was allegedly burning
grass and trash when the flames
got out of control. One truck and
four men responded to the call.
Patrolman Kirk Nesbitt of the
El Campo Police Department
chose a career in law enforcement
at an early age. “It’s just
something that I’ve wanted to do
since childhood.”
Born in Trinity, the police of-
ficer moved to Victoria and at-
tended Victoria High School
After graduation in 1978, he at-
tended Victoria Junior College.
Majoring in law enforcement,
Nesbitt later enrolled in the Vic-
toria Police Academy and
graduated in 1979.
In April of 1979, the policeman
was employed by the Victoria
Police Department. He joined the
El Campo Police Department in
October of 1981.
Nesbitt is assigned to the patrol
section of the evening shift His
areas of specialization include
traffic control and DWI enforce
ment.
The officer has had several
memorable experiences while
serving in El Campo. He recalled,
patrolman’s hobbies.
His primary goal in policework
is to remain on patrol and avoid a
desk job. “There’s something
about patrol that has an excite-
ment level unlike investi gat ions,”
he said.
In assessing the crime situation
in the area, he said, “the crime
rate is high, but the clearance
rate (in El Campo) is higher than
any other that I have ever seen
“Whether it’s Wharton Count
or any other area, you’re neve
going to be able to completely cor
trol crime.”
He concluded, “We’re alway
going to be losing ground (ii
fighting crime). All we can do i
hope to control the increase c
crime because we’re never goin
to be able to stop it.”
—Correction—
KIRK NESBITT
“I went to a family disturbance
one morning where a couple were
fighting over whether they were
going to have Rice Krispies or
Fruit Loops for breakfast.”
Pistol shooting, bird hunting
and weight lifting are the
It was incorrectly reported in
Saturday’s edition of the Leader-
News that the school district’s tax
roll released by the Central Ap
praisal District was nearly $1
million short of what is required
to meet this year’s $10.6 million
budget.
Actually the Lax roll was $100
million short of what the district
had expected. At the present tax
rate of $1.07, the district will be a
$1 million short in tax revenue of
making its projected budget
Also, the story stated that
Board President Richard Manske
recommended a 13 percent cut-
back in personnel as a possible
budget cut. Actually Manske
recommended approximately a 5
percent decrease, which would
result in 13 persons be cut from
the staff.
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Barbee, Chris. El Campo Leader-News (El Campo, Tex.), Vol. 98, No. 54, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 29, 1982, newspaper, September 29, 1982; El Campo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1006895/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1&rotate=90: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Wharton County Library.